Beach chair



May 26, 1931. c. GILMQQE 1,806,679

BEACH CHAIR Filed Sept. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l CARL GlLMORE, INVENTOR.

C. GILMORE May 26, 1931.

BEACH CHAIR Filed Sept. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

rllvulllflllv:I!ii;Illllllliiirtllvlllllllll FIG. 6.

FIG- 7 m m m m E, R O m m s L R A c Patented Mayv 26, 1931 warren STATES oARLerLMosE, or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA BEACH CHAIR Application filed September 18, 1928. Serial No. 306,647,

My invention relates to improvements in beach chairs; and one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a chair that may be disposed upon lawn, seashore, camp, ground, or elsewhere, and which Wlll provide rest and comfort to the occupant or occupants;

A further object of the invention is to proi backs upon and against which two persons may sit or recline with great comfort.

With the foregoing "and still further objects and purposes in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimedfit being uhderstood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention-herein disclosedpcan be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention. V

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a peripective view lookingtowards the rear of the chair as set up for occupancy by one or two persons; V

Figure 2 is a rearfelevation of the chair partly folded, the fabric forming the seat I and back-rest having been omitted in order 40 to present a clearer View of the frame work; Figure 3 is a detailed elevation of upper central portions of the device;

Figure dis a sideelevatiompartly in section, of upper and lower portions of the central or tubular support of the chair;

Figure 5 is. another view in elevation of a portionof the central support;

Figure 6 is a side View, with an intermediate portion broken away, of one of the cross-bars;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view on line 7- -7 of Fig.6;

Figure 8 is a detailed view of the lower end portion of one of the chair supports;

Figure 9 is a view in elevation of one of the clamp bands, detached from the upper end portion of the tubular support;

Figure 10 is a sectional View on line 1010 of Fig. 3; V

Figure 11'is a cross section on line 1 "11 of Fig. 2; and g Figure 12 is an enlarged view, partly sectional, of upper portions of the frame-work looking in the direction indicated by the arrow a. Y

Referring now more strictly to the details of the drawings, throughout the several views of which like referencecharacters designate like parts: 7

The. numerals 1 and 2 designate the central 79 and the two side supports, respectively, of the present invention, while the numeral 3 designates the two rear supports, and 4 and 5 represent the diagonal braces thereof.

The central support 1 is substantially in the form of a tube, which is preferably con structed ofsheet metal, and has'one end of a cylindrical pin 6 projecting fixedly a distance upward into its lower end. The pin 6, which is preferably formed of wood, Q should by preference fit suiiiciently tight in the tube 1 to be frictionally bound therein against movement relative thereto by the normal use and handling of the chair. It is however further secured in thetube by means of a screw 7 employedprimarily for securing one end of a clamping spring 8 against the side of said tube, .and which projects through registering openings provided in said tube and spring. Certain of the functions of the central or tubular support 1, together with the pin 6, aswell as the spring 8, will hereinafter be fully described.

9 andlO designate a pair of opposed, concave-convex, clamping bands, which are preferably formed of strips of sheet metal and terminate at their ends into outwardly extending lips 11, 12, provided with suitable openings through which project double-' headed rivets 13; The lips 11 are spaced such distances from the lips 12, to permit inserting therebetween oi": the inner ends of lower cross bars 14, 14, which are provided with suitable openings in said ends, through which said rivets project, and whereby said ends are pivotally supported for movement between said lips.

The clamping bands 9, 10, encircle the pin 6 adjacent its lower or free end, and are fixedly held thereon by means of a screw 15, which projects through an opening in the band 9 and extends into said pin a proper distance.

The outer ends of the cross bars 14, 14, are pivotally secured to the side supports 2, at points thereon preferably a short distance upwardly from their lower ends, by means of pivot pins 16, 16, which project through both said side supports and said cross bars.

17, 18, designate a pair of (Io-operable, concave-convex, clamping bands having their ends formed into outwardly projecting spaced lips 19, 20, between which are pivotally secured the inner ends of upper cross bars 21 by means ofrivets 22. The clamping bands-17, 18, which are fixedly disposed to e11- circle the tubular standard 1 adjacent its upper end, are similar to the bands-9, 19, heretofore described, with the exception however that in place 01 the securing screw 15 extending through the band 9, there is provided a headed stud 23, WllCll extends through an opening 23 in the band 17, and which has a flattened base 24 disposed between said band 17 and the standard 1, whereby said stud is held substantially in fixed relation to said band.

The upper cross bars 21, which are preferably equal in length to the lower cross bars 14, have their outer ends pivotally secured to' the upper ends of the side supports 2, by means of rivets 21.

The tubular support 1, side supports 2, and the upper and lower cross bars 21 and 14, are disposed substantially in the same plane, with the axes of their securing rivets extending substantially at right angles through said plane, when the chair is extend ed into its open position as best illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

To the side supports 2, at suitable distances thereon downwardly from their upper ends, are pivotally secured the upper ends of the two rear supports 3, 3. The latter operatively swingable in the plane of the side support to which it is attached.

To the rear supports 3, 3, adjacent their lower ends, are pivotally secured the lower ends of the diagonal braces 4, 5, whereby the latter may be operatively moved, relatively to the side supports, substantially in the plane of the latter, when the device is operated from an open to a folded position,.or vice versa.

The brace 4, viewing it from the rear when the chair is set up or extended, has its upper end bent upwardly and to the left to better conform with the rear side of the tubular support 1, to which it is removably secured by means of the stud 3, the head of the latter is for which purpose projected through a key-hole-like opening 25 formed in the upper end of said brace 4. The upper portion of the opening 25 is made sul'liciently large relative to the head of the stud 23 to permit it to pass freely therethrough, but the lower or laterally restricted portion of said opening, which restricted portion is adapted to movably accommodate the shank of the stud, is however too small or narrow to permit the head of the stud passing through it, therefore, when the chair has been opened or extended, as best shown in Fig. 1, and it is desired to maintain it in such position, the upper end of the brace 4 is manipd lated so that the head of the stud 23 will pass outwardly through the upper portion of the opening 25. The brace is then moved upwardly relative to said stud until the shank of the latter moves into the restricted portion of the opening as far as it will normally go, thereby releasably locking said upper end of the brace against the side of the tubular support 1. Obviously, by reversing the action just described, the brace 4 may be released from the tubular support 1 when it is desired to fold the chair.

The brace 4, which has its lower end pivotally connected to the lower end portion of its cooperable rear support 3, restricts any transverse movement of the latter relative to the chair, when its upper endis locked against the upper end of the tubular support 1.

The diagonal brace 5, which is somewhat shorter than the brace 4, has its lower end pivotally connected to the lower end portion of its cooperating rear support 3, and its upper end pivotally connected .to the upper end of the brace 4 at a point thereon. a distance below the opening 25, said brace thus being adapted to restrict transverse movement of said rear support 3, when the chair is extended as for occupancy.

The relative arrangement of the rear supports 3, 3, and .the braces 4, 5, and the c011- nections between them, as well as the connections between the former and the side supports, are such that when the upper end of the brace 4 is released from the tubular support 1, the said rear supports and their braces may readily be folded in substantially a common plane into contiguous relative parallelism.

26, 26, designate the two laterally separated elements forming the seat and the back-rest members of my improved chair, which members may be formed of such woven material as canvas, ducking, or the like, and are provided at both their upper and lower ends with loops or hems 27, 27 27, 27 through which tended as a convenient and useful device for use in parks, playgrounds, camps, lawns or the seashore, particularly at'the latter,'and on, or in which, one or twopersons may sit or recline for rest and the like. And while the device is complete and useful for the pur: poses above mentioned, as well as for other purposes, without any .adclitional attachments for providing shade or shelter, it is nevertheless particularly useful in combination with the conventional umbrella commonly found along the beaches, for provid ing additional shade, shelter from wind or dust, as well as for protection against rain. It is for this reason that the central support 1 is made in the form a hollow tube, into which the handle or shaft of an umbrella may be readily thrust for holding the latter over or above the chair. The pin 6 at the bottom of the tube 1 actingas ,a stop adapted to receive the end of the umbrella handle for limiting its movement in the tube in'a downwardly direction.

When the chair is set up on loose soil or sand, the lower ends ofthe supports may be permitted to sink a distance thereinto without interfering in the least with the usefulness of the chair. In some instances '1 have found it desirable to permit the seat portions of the members 26 to rest on the sand, or soil, and in other instances, depending on circumstances, I have found it desirable to even excavate the sand to some extent below the seat portion of device to permit the seat to be disposed below the surface ofthe surrounding sand.

To fold the chair, it is simply necessary to remove the upper end of the diagonal brace 4 from the stud '23, thence swing the rear supports forward against the side supports, and thence the side supports, together with the rear supports and their braces, upwardly relative to and against the center or tubu= lar support. When an umbrella is used in conjunction with the chair, it is preferably removed before folding the'latter.

While the principal portionof the framework, the center support GXCGPtQCl, is formed of suitable commercial angle iron, a cross sectional View of the preferred type of which is shown in Fig. 7, other suitablematerial may be substituted therefor.

The spring clamp 8, which is preferably formed of spring steel, and which has one other relatively small articles which the end fixedly secured to the lower end portion of the tube 1, by means of the screw 7, 1 *hereby its other end is held to spring-press against the tube, is intended to be used for holding such personal articles as papers, handkerchiefs, gloves, reticules', or one or several of co cupants may wish to dispose of temporally, and which may be readily secured by clamp by pinching the same between the latter and the tube.

I claim: Y

1. In a beach chair of the character described, a cent 'al support and a pair of side supports disposed in lateral spaced relation,

.rear supports having their upper ends pivotally secured to upper end portions of said side supports, and diagonal braces connect ing the lower end portions of said rearsuports and said central support together. 2. A foldable chair comprising a pair of front side supports,a single central front sup port between said'side supports, upper and lower cross bars between each side support and said central supportplvoted at theirinner ends to said centralsupport and at their outer ends to said side supports, respectively,

whereby the latter are swingable substantially' into parallelism with and against said central support, a seat'and back rest member carried by said cross bars between said central support and each side support, and rear supports pivotally connected to said front supports.

3. Afoldable chair comprising a pairof front side supports, a single central front supportbetween said side supports, upper and lower cross bars between each side support and said central support pivoted at their inner ends to Silldcentral support and at their outer ends to said side supports, respect vely, whereby the latter are swingable sub stantiallyinto parallelismwith and against said'central support, a seat and back rest member carried by said cross bars between said central'support and each side support, arear support pivoted at its upper end to each sidesupportfor forward and backward swinging movement with respect thereto, brace bars pivot-ally connected with said rear supports, an d means for detachably connecting said brace bars with said central support.

4. A. foldable chair comprising a pair of front side supports,a single central front support between said side supports, upper and lower'cross bars between each side support and said central support pivoted at their inner ends to saidoentral support and at their outer ends to said side supports, respectively, whereby the latter are swingable substantially into parallelism with and against said central support, a seat and back rest member support for forward and backward swinging movement with respect thereto, brace bars pivotally connected with said rear supports and with one another, and means for detach- 5 ably connecting one of said brace bars with said central support.

5. A foldable chair comprising a pair of front side supports, a single central front support between said side supports, seat carrying cross bars connecting said side and central supports for swinging movement between positions substantially parallel closely adjacent and relatively widely spaced with re spect to one another, a rear support pivoted at its upper end to each side support for forward an d backward swinging movement with respect thereto, and a brace bar pivotally connected at its lower end to each rear side support, and means whereby the upper ends of said brace bars are detachably connected with said central support.

6. A foldable chair comprising a pair of front side supports, a single central front support between said side supports, seat carrying cross bars connecting said side and central supports for swinging movement between positions substantially parallel closely adjacent and relatively widely spaced with respect to one another, a rear support pivoted at its upper end to each side support for forward and backward swinging movement with respect thereto, and a brace bar pivotally connected at its lower end to each rear side support, a pivotedconnection between said brace bars, one of said brace bars having a slot therein, and a pin carried by said central sup port with. which said slotted brace bar is adapted for detachable connection by means of the slot therein.

7. A foldable chair comprising a pair of front side supports, a single central front support between said side supports seat carrying cross bars connecting said side and central supports for swinging movement between positions substantially parallel closely adjacent and relatively widely spaced with respect to one another, a rear support pivoted at its upper end to each side support for forward and backward swinging movement with respect thereto, a brace bar pivotally connected at its lower end to each rear side support, a pivotal connection between said brace bars, and a quick detachable pin and slot connection between one of said brace bars and said central support.

8. A foldable chair as set forthin claim 2 wherein the upper end portion of the central front support is tubular and open at its upm per end for the reception thereinto of the handle of an umbrella.

In testimony of the foregoing being my own, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 29th day of August, 1928.

CARL GILMORE. 

